May 15th 2019 Mid Atlantic Outbreak
Meteorological synopsis: A huge storm complex that was moving across the US accompanied by a huge amount of low level shear, high cape, and huge amounts of heating at low ground level. This became apparent by 11AM when sigtor values shot up. This caused the SPC to update their convective outlook to Moderate and added a 15% sig tor risk in place from northern North Carolina to southern Pennsylvania. Tornado watch #52 was issued and most schools were let out. Note that the days before were busts except of a tornado family near Loveland OK, all of which were rated EF0-EF2. Tornadoes: The Greensboro-Lexington EF5 This catastrophic tornado came from a supercell that started having broad rotation when coming up from south NC ahead of the QLCS event. After the sigtor values shot it, a tornado touched down in North Greensboro immediately causing LE EF2 damage. The tornado became rather strong after entering VA causing HE EF2 damage to trees, the tornado was only about 200 yards wide at this point. It approached Martinsville VA head on causing HE EF3 damage- LE EF4 damage. 3 houses which were well structured were leveled. The most notable of this scene was a house being thrown through the air and imploding on itself. 3 people were killed in Martinsville, 12 injured. The NWS of Blacksburg released a PDS tor for this tornado. It would continue snapping powerlines and stripping trees. A well structured house was completely swept away. Eventually it reached Roanoke, a TORE was immediately issued. The tornado at this point was a large stove pipe at about 400-500 yards wide. While most of Roanoke suffered EF2-EF3 damage, there was a swath that had HE EF4 - EF5 damage about 100 yards wide. 113 people were killed in Roanoke, 236 were injured. As the tornado tracked along, it began weakening to causing EF2- EF3 damage. It took a left turn for Lexington and hit it at EF2 strength causing structural damage and utility line damage. One person was killed in a vehicle, impaled in the head by shrapnel trying to outrun the tornado. 3 people were injured in a trailer home which was imploded. The tornado would began to rope out and cause minor damage to barns before dying. 116 people were killed, 248 injured and would have a track of about 160 miles long. Roanoke VA EF4 Satellite A Satellite to the well known Catastrophic Greensboro-Lexington EF5. This satellite tornado flattened an entire neighborhood of west Roanoke and had a path length of 2.5 miles. only about 75 yards wide. The first house in West Roanoke took heavy damage, having its entire front half torn out. Most notable was a vehicle of 3 amateur storm chasers who were new got too close to the EF5 and didn't pay attention to the satellite. There car was lifted and thrown, had all of its doors removed, hit a tree causing significant damage to the front half, and put down into a basement. There were 2 minors within that basement that were literally touching the cars, all escaped without significant scratches. The Sperryville VA - Germantown MD EF4 The same supercell would reproduce again in Sperryville VA. Although unlike the last, this tornado wedged out to about half of a mile, and became a multivortex. It would immediately cause HE EF2-LE EF3 damage to houses and barns, in which most had exterior wall failure. As it Approached Flint Hill VA it caused HE EF3-LE EF4 damage, Barns being leveled, houses having exterior wall failure or flattened. Some people who lived here were affected by the F4 back in 2001. As it approached Hume VA it wedged out to about 3/4s of a mile wide and caused LE EF4-HE EF4 to houses. A person was killed in their vehicle while attempting to storm chase. A few houses were swiped away from their foundations. Most sustained exterior wall failure and some interior wall failure. The most notable is the houses on Fox Run LN which were completely swept away, some having anchor bolts. Which is why people argue that this tornado was an EF5. As the tornado passed by Hume VA another person was killed in their basement. While their trailer home was completely swept away. The tornado was on tracked to hit Marshall VA, hitting it at HE EF4 again. Mainstreet was completely leveled/swept away. Most notable was the fire department, which was completely swept away and utility vehicles were mangled. 3 people were injured during this whole ordeal, none were killed. The tornado continued at EF4 strength. Passing over Middleburg which was completely leveled. The tornado started to go back into a Stovepipe structure but it still maintained its strength. It would flatten about 12 more homes. The tornado started losing its strength started doing EF2-EF3 damage. A TorE was issued for Sterling, Ashburn, and Leesburg. Multiple houses had external wall failure in Leesburg. One person was killed when their vehicle was picked up and thrown over the Leesburg hospital. It began its rope out stage near the Potomac river producing only producing light roof damage and snapping trees, it died right outside of Germantown MD. 2 Killed 3 injured and would have a track of 73.9 miles long. New Salem Borough PA - Emigsville PA EF4 This short lived EF4 was the first major tornado of the QLCS supercells. It only reached a width of about 150 yards wide. As it touched down it immediately started causing LE EF3- HE EF3 damage. In New Salem Borough a couple of houses were flattened, and 7 experienced external wall failure. As it a traveled northeast at about 45-50 MPH a PDS Tor was issued. The tornado hit York PA in a matter of 2 minutes, rapidly flattening houses, causing utility lines to snap, trees to snap or get stripped and exterior wall failure to houses that weren't flattened. It soon hit the commercial part of york, flattening two well structured restaurants. It hit north york at an incredible strength. flattening multiple houses. A person who was completely unaware of the rain wrapped tornado, went outside to the local Dunkin Donuts and was killed while outside, impaled by a sign pole. People say that the first minute this tornado was there, the next minute it was gone with a wake of destruction. about 53 buildings were completely flattened, 47 experienced exterior wall failure, and 64 vehicles were damaged in York. The tornado continued up to Emigsville, significantly weakening. Causing weak roof damage, snapping trees, and downing utility poles. Its width at this point is at about 25 yards. It lifted about 200 yards outside of Emigsville, causing weak shingle damage. Its ground scoring was about 13 inches into the ground. 1 person killed, 7 injured, tracked for about 7 miles. Brogden NC - Stoney Creek NC EF4 This highend EF4 was the last EF4 in the series. It was about 700 yards wide and is popular for destroying the Trailer Park of Goldsboro. It touched down in Brogden NC and started with light roof damage to roofs. It stayed relatively weak till it wedged out, right outside of Goldsboro NC and strengthened significantly to EF4 strength. Flattening multiple structures and causing exterior wall damage to homes. It affected mainstreet with some exterior wall failures to commercial buildings. The tornado wedged out even more where the trailerpark was affected. 32 trailers were completely destroyed. 6 people died and 21 people were injured. The tornado continued to rope out and loose strength when it hit Stoney Creek NC. It caused roof damage to multiple homes, one having some of its exterior walls removed. Then the tornado lifted right after. Overall 6 people died, 21 were injured, it flattened/destroyed 62 buildings, significantly damage 120 others, damaged multiple vehicles, and tracked for about 13.6 miles. Haymarket Va - Bethesda MD EF4 This EF4 had a max width of 100 yards most of its life! It started in haymarket traveling NE at 50 MPH. This rotation was relatively new so it wasn't warned yet. The NWS of Sterling gave it a PDS as it caused damage to Haymarket. Although the damage was relatively kept to roofs, one barn was completely flattened. As it continued up north east it reached its max width of 100 yards and significantly intensified to HE EF3 strength a TORE was issued for west I 95 Corridor towns (Manassas VA, Fairfax city VA, Tysons Corner VA, and Bethesda MD.) It hit Manassas at LE EF4 strength flattening houses, destroying commercial buildings, and throwing vehicles. Although for a QLCS event, this supercell was quite LP and the tornado could be clearly seen. This is where the popular seen of a local new broadcast was seen of the tornado imploding 3 houses and violently lifting its debris high up into the atmosphere. Although the houses were not well structured. The tornado continued up to Oakton Subdivision where it gained mid end EF4 strength. Destroying most of the houses it hit. Flattening them down to the foundations. 17 people were killed in a house party, 12 being minors. At this point Virginia governor declared a state of emergency. It continued towards Tysons Corner which it was still at EF4 strength. It was still flattening houses but it was about to hit the skyline district. It caused major damage to high-rises within the district. Some high-rises having external wall failure. 121 people would be injured, but no deaths. Once exiting Tysons Corner, it significantly weakened to EF2 strength. It caused significant roof uplift and and some exterior wall failure to homes. It crossed the Potomac river where it restrengthened to EF3. Stripping trees of there bark and causing houses to have exterior wall failure. It would eventually reach EF4 strength briefly right outside of Bethesda where it had flattened to homes. It quickly started dying out and had caused roof uplift to about 20 homes before lifting. It would leave 17 people dead and injuring 121 others, it would travel a length of 48 miles before roping out. The I90 Lake Erie EF4 This large violent stove pipe was well out of the area forecasted for tornadoes that day. It touched down in Cleveland traveling parallel to north bound I90 at 35 MPH. It was a rope like tornado but quickly intensified to a multivortex stovepipe. The first house it hit was on the side of I90 which was completely flattened at HE EF2 strength. This continued for a while. Killing one person and injuring 43. When it got into PA it quickly intensified, a TORE was issued for Erie. The large stovepipe started going through Erie at only 15-20MPH. Quickly cleaning slabs and flattening houses, South Erie had EF3 like damage, with buildings experiencing exterior wall failure. Majority of Erie lost communications and no damage reports was getting out, regarding it being mostly flattened. 57 People died, 316 were injured. Finally it started dying near West field NY destroying fishing houses at EF2 strength before roping out. Another 2 deaths occurred here. This tornado would claim the lives of 60 people and injure another 316. It would travel for 135 miles. Durbin WV - Bartow WV EF4 A quick spinup touched down outside of Durbin moving north east at 60 MPH in between a radar scan. It hit Durbin flattening 23 structures including the Fire department and Postal service. As it continued down wards to Bartow, it started shredding trees bark off and snapping powerlines. As it hit Bartow it flattened the entire storage facility which was not in operation. It flattened the Postal Service and 7 more houses before it lifted. Eventually calls came into the NWS for storm damage, flatten buildings, rolled vehicles, and shredded trees. Was originally rated a small downburst due to the movement of debris, but a look back at security video of the storage facility, it was promptly given an EF4 rating. This was the first EF4 in West Virginia since 1944. It had a path width of 115 yards and traveled 2.4 miles. Timberville VA - Luray VA Tornado Family A short burst of multiple tornadoes ranging from EF3-EF1 till the 2 supercells died. The first tornado, the strongest of the bunch, is the Timberville VA Stovepipe. It traveled for 4 miles and had a width of 250 yards. It was rated HE EF3 after flattening 3 houses and a barn stead. After lifting, the meso beside it had a LE EF3 touch down which went for 2.6 miles and had a width of 30 yards. Causing a house to have external wall failure. The meso to the right produced again having an EF1 on the ground which tore a roof off of a couple of houses in east New Market. While west New Market had the Left tornado (EF3) destroying outer walls of houses. Both tornadoes died around the same time, the meso to the right died. The meso that survived put down an EF2 near the Berry Patch Inn causing moderate roof damage and some exterior wall failure. This EF2 was 100 yards wide and traveled for 2.3 miles. After the EF2 died, a new tornado formed. Which was rated HE EF0. This tornado would be the last of the bunch. Also was 300 yards wide and went on into Luray. This incredibly weak tornado went on for 3.5 miles. It didn't cause damage until it got into Luray, which it was at its rope out stage. The tornado caused light damage to shingles, broke out windows, and flattened a weak shed. Atoka VA - Woodburn VA Twins Twin tornadoes, One HE EF3 and one HE EF2 touched down near Atoka Va, the EF3 was 600 yards wide and went on for 19 miles. The EF2 went on for 17.5 miles and reached 50 yards in width. Both of these tornadoes occurred at night. Eastern Twin: The Eastern twin was rated HE EF3, it touched down outside of Atoka and caused minor roof damage to homes and snapped trees. After exiting Atoka it immediately jumped onto EF3 strength destroying a barn stead and causing exterior wall failure to a few homes. It continued through the forested area, it was noted that in a video it had an extreme roar to it and horizontal vorticies. It continued towards Mountville VA while its western twin traveled across it. This is where the first death occurred. Where a family had there entire home stripped from ontop of them. Then the EF3 hit causing debris to fill in the basement. As this tornado continued through Mountville, it reached 600 yards in width and HE EF3 status, flattening multiple homes. This is where 4 more deaths occurred. As the tornado continued on its track, it was threatening Leesburg, which was already hit by an EF4. The tornado at this point started shrinking to a width of 120 yards, still maintaining its strength. It would enter Woodburn at EF3 strength, Destroying houses, causing exterior wall failures, and vehicle damage. It would exit Woodburn and lift about half of a mile out. Western Twin: The Western twin was a relatively rope like structure most of its life, but still violent. It touched down 2 miles east of Atoka Causing the completely uplift of trees. Although it didn't really show itself till it hit a house outside of woodburn. The house in question was a house built in the 1880s, relatively low structure quality, and no anchor bolts. The house imploded and all the debris were swept away from the area. It also flipped a chasers car on the highway. It died shortly after passing Woodburn. Gailoway NJ - Long Beach NJ EF3 This HE-EF3 was a 200 yard wide "drillbit" tornado. This touched down in the town of Gailoway NJ. It instantly started having damage consistent with EF3. Most of the houses had there roofs removed, and exterior wall failure. This tornado would continue down path, producing tree and utility line damage. It finally got to Long Beach where houses experienced roof uplift. It went out to sea where it lifted. The tornado would kill or injure 0 people but would travel for 20 miles. This tornado was the first recorded in the Gailoway area. Category:Tornadoes